4014 replies to this topic

[DavidJones]

I don't believe this. The Craig era is over after ten years. Time to move on.

[Dustin]

It's impossible to say whether or not there is anything to it, simply because we don't have as yet any clear indication of events with the one player whose actions will likely decide the future of 007 on screen - MGM. I would not dismiss efforts to get Craig back yet; neither would I say the search for the next 007 isn't on already. You could easily make a case for both, regardless which studio ends up doing the films post-201X.

[rubixcub]

The same story, rewritten slightly, is on Indiewire.  Are they any more credible as a source?

 

http://www.indiewire...ony-1201723073/

 

Dave​

Edited by rubixcub, 05 September 2016 - 03:17 PM.

[Orion]

no, they're all just reprinting the original, which is intself a slight re-write of the horse they tried to flog a few months ago. It's click bait in it's purest form.

[Odd Jobbies]

Weather made up or not it does make sense that they'd make outlandish offers to Craig while selling the distribution rights. He's a proven success and that must make it a richer pot than having the risk of a newbie.

 

They'd be balancing this expense with the added value in the distribution sale and i'd bet that's a lot of added value with Craig onboard - still more than his suggested salary.

[Dustin]

Don't bet on it. This year has proven disastrous for a number of sequel productions. Often just in relative terms comparing projected earnings to actual box office - but a few times it's been a trip into deep red, too. I'm willing to believe generous offers will be made, but I doubt it will be outrageous ones. As for what this story claims, Sony opening the vaults - that's not necessarily their concern. At Sony HQ the focus will be to get a better deal with MGM, that's their priority. If anybody will make offers to Craig I would think it's Eon House and MGM.

[Odd Jobbies]

It could be the suggestion that if he signs up, then sony will sign up and this is what sony will give him. But you're probably right.

[SecretAgentFan]

I doubt that Sony will only want to distribute if Craig - i.e. safer way to earn money - signs on.  Sony will want to keep on distributing Bond either way - but as Dustin pointed out they will want and NEED to reach for a better deal.  

 

That, IMO, is the only reason why MGM has not simply said: let´s renew with Sony again, never change a winning team.

 

Sony wants new conditions - and with Craig possibly not on board anymore they are in a better position to negotiate.  As are most interested studios.  An unproven Bond will give leverage to distributors saying: hey, the next one could be the new Lazenby or Dalton.

[Dustin]

Agreed. That is why Eon were probably reaching out with their feelers, to have a head start to any demands that may come their way for future productions, regardless if Craig returns or not.

[DavidJones]

The Bond brand is bigger than any one actor, though, isn't it?

[Dustin]

In the long run definitely.

In a way the situation is reminiscent of that post-DAD, a proven actor in the role - but also that sense the series is looking for a direction. Back then the return of Brosnan would have cost dearly but everybody, including Brosnan, was sure he would...until he didn't.

Now it seems Craig is reluctant and the production side may or may not be willing to shell out, in spite of earlier experiences. That's what makes me wonder whether they will really want to pay so much, also bearing in mind that SPECTRE didn't surpass SKYFALL.

Really, I've no idea how it will play out in the end; everything seems possible.

[SecretAgentFan]

Unfortunately, that seems to be the case.

 

I am puzzled how that could happen, actually - since the main actor was accepted and celebrated, and all his films made lots of money.  

 

Of course, EON would rather have it differently.  But since the legal hurdles surrounding the Bond series were cleared a few years ago I would not have thought that again and so soon an impasse would happen again.

 

I sincerely hope that the next actor EON secures for Bond will have to sign a contract that will not enable him to hold everybody ransom.  If he wants to step out of the role he should be allowed a certain window of time - but afterwards he should make a decision, otherwise EON will replace him.  Also, they should stick to the earlier model: no producing credit, no "I have to sign off everything" - just a salary that will increase if the last film is successful.

[RMc2]

I sincerely hope that the next actor EON secures for Bond will have to sign a contract that will not enable him to hold everybody ransom.  If he wants to step out of the role he should be allowed a certain window of time - but afterwards he should make a decision, otherwise EON will replace him.  Also, they should stick to the earlier model: no producing credit, no "I have to sign off everything" - just a salary that will increase if the last film is successful.

 

I agree, and the Craig era has put the franchise in a position to make those demands of an actor. Although I'm sure Hollywood agents will expect more freedoms for their clients after Craig's privileges...

 

That said, I still think we shouldn't judge Craig's behaviour until we know what's causing the delay. Is it Craig prevaricating? Maybe. Is it the parent studios (MGM specifically) managing the distribution deal badly? Maybe. Or is it EON, planning for two futures (one with Craig, one without) and stalling momentum as a result? Maybe. 

[Mr Magnusson]

Daniel Craig will appear on an on-stage interview, tentatively called "Beyond Bond" on 7th October.
http://festival.newy...holas-schmidle/

In little over a month we probably know more about B25 and about Craig. Nice to have date!

[univex]

Probable Craig response to any Bond25 related question:

 

- Look, I don´t know. No one knows. They´re just trying to figure things out right now and...we´ll see. Look, I´d do another one. I´d do Bond forever If they wanted me...you know, geriatric Bond and all, but I just...look, I don´t know, there´s nothing I really can tell you cause...well, I just don´t know. 

 

He won´t tell a thing. That being said, I wouldn´t mind a comeback. There hasn´t been a bad Craig Bond film yet, IMO, and that´s saying a lot.

 

But if the man´s gone, he´s gone. The King is dead, long live the King.

[SecretAgentFan]

Probable Craig response to any Bond25 related question:

 

- Look, I don´t know. No one knows. They´re just trying to figure things out right now and...we´ll see. Look, I´d do another one. I´d do Bond forever If they wanted me...you know, geriatric Bond and all, but I just...look, I don´t know, there´s nothing I really can tell you cause...well, I just don´t know. 

 

He won´t tell a thing. That being said, I wouldn´t mind a comeback. There hasn´t been a bad Craig Bond film yet, IMO, and that´s saying a lot.

 

But if the man´s gone, he´s gone. The King is dead, long live the King.

 

Well put.

[Pierceuhhh]

Gg

[S K Y F A L L]

Whats 'gg' mean? Good Game? oh good guess nvm.

 

'Beyond Bond'... does that imply DC is done?

 

So I guess we are looking at 4 possibilitys October 7th:

 

1) We learn nothing

 

2) We learn what we already know, they don't have a clue

 

3) DC is returning

 

4) DC is done with Bond

 

Is that all of them?...

Edited by S K Y F A L L, 09 September 2016 - 03:14 PM.

[univex]

5) Craig doesn´t give a flying f and, for once, gives an interview so candid he tells nothing short of the absolute truth. Oh, no, that´s coming round to number 1) again, and 2), and that 3) is possible but 4) is an abstract, a fallacy that every Bond actor tells himself at some point. Truth is, no Bond actor is ever done with Bond. 

 

The thing is, the title, for me, suggests one of the conditions he´d give the interview in the first place: no talking about Bond. Let´s talk about what´s going on beyond that. He´ll talk about that new film where he looks like this: http://i.dailymail.c...72605134300.jpg

He´ll talk about that series based on the Franzen book. The Othello play. Etc...

So, I hope the 7th will be, if nothing else, entertaining. Not counting on it, though, Craig doesn´t exactly like interviews. 

[Jim]

Yes, I thought it might be "Ask anything but Bond" although I appreciate it doesn't really say that. I suspect he is considerably freer to say things about everything else but Bond (and anything he does say about completed unrelated subjects will be reported as "James Bond says xyz" anyway). Anything directly Bond will be pored over by... the likes of us and potentially massively commercially detrimental to the various stakeholding corporate concerns. Somewhere along the line the concept of these being just films got itself a bit lost.

[SecretAgentFan]

If there won´t be a question that at least alludes to Craig´s future of Bond it will be even more disappointing than the usual "nothing´s certain yet"-line.

[SecretAgentFan]

http://www.vanityfai...TAwMDgzMzgzMwS2

 

At last, a bit more researched commentary on those rumors.

[S K Y F A L L]

Haha Craig got in trouble or yelled at. Glad there is no truth to it, opens the doors to Craig returning in the sense maybe he still has an offer coming however EON does not seem there yet.

 

Thanks for posting the link SAF!

[Surrie]

Hmm interesting read. Thanks for posting!

[Matt_13]

Surprised to hear that he actually got called out for that wrist slashing line. I guess Barber must have known that regardless of the blatant exaggeration, that line would be yanked right out of context by the media outlets and cast a bit of a shadow over the release of the film. Nice article. What happens at this point is anyone's guess. It looks like it could go either way. At the very least I'm hoping we'll get an indication of his mood toward the franchise during that October 7 interview.

[S K Y F A L L]

Maybe Craig forgot to take his meds that day. Who hasn't had a very long or bad day and embellished it, we just didn't have someone video taping it. I wonder if he'll ever be asked about it in future interviews.

[Surrie]

I suspect it's a phrase he regrets saying now. Especially if it's still circulating!

[Orion]

or indeed shoved into every Bond related article even if it's not about the films (I've seriously seen articles about Trigger Mortis and the Ellis/Diggle comics that get that quote in)

[Jim]

It was a very unwise thing to say, but no more than unwise - however, exactly the sort of thing that would get latched onto as an easy thing upon which to hang a story. For a variety of reasons, serious and specious, I do hope he regrets saying it. But if we move on, we move on.  

[Dustin]

Well, unfortunately in this case Craig's comment also does seem to have had some direct influence backstage at the time - and now is picked up again and again with each new report on the MGM/Bond situation. There is a reason reports about fantastic offers for a comeback are quickly followed by other's debunking the claims. It's not rocket science to deduct from this the atmosphere among the 007 players currently isn't at the best possible level. However this venture is going to continue, it seems inevitable it will only do so after a struggle of sorts.